PIERS Morgan has branded Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s accusations of racism within the royal family a “disgraceful betrayal”.
The former newspaper editor has given his most detailed account yet of the fallout from the couple’s Oprah Winfrey interview that resulted in him quitting Good Morning Britain.
In his latest column for the Mail on Sunday, he reiterated that he did not believe any of the allegations Meghan and Harry made against the royals.
These included Meghan’s claims that she never researched Harry’s background, that the couple wed in secret three days before their £30million Windsor wedding and, most seriously of all, that their son Archie was overlooked as a prince because of his skin colour.
He wrote: “It sounded complete nonsense when she said it, and it is; he’s not a Prince because, technically, the great grandchildren of the Monarch are not bestowed with titles ‘Prince’ or ‘Princess’ unless they’re in the direct line to the throne.”
Calling the accusation a “falsehood”, Piers then surmised it was said to cause the royals “maximum harm”.
He continued: “And for all their guff in the interview about supporting the Queen, it’s the Monarch who decides such titles so they were effectively accusing Harry’s grandmother and Britain’s Head of State of being racist.
“This was a disgraceful betrayal…”
In the 90 minute interview with US talk show host Oprah, Meghan said there had been conversations between Harry and a “family” member about their unborn son and what colour his skin would be – and “what that would mean or look like”.
But the 39-year-old declined to say who had started those conversations, saying it would be “damaging” for them.
Harry said he would “never share” the full details of the discussion but that he was asked at the start of his relationship with Meghan how dark the skin of their children might be.
Oprah later revealed it was not the Queen or the Duke of Edinburgh who made the comment about Archie’s skin.
She told CBS This Morning: “He did not share the identity with me but he wanted to make sure I knew, and if I had an opportunity to share it, that it was not his grandmother or grandfather that were part of those conversations.
“He did not tell me who was a part of those conversations.”
Speaking to Oprah, Meghan said the concerns had been raised at the same time that the future parents were told Archie would not receive security as he was not a prince.
She said: “All the grandeur around this stuff is not really important to me.
“But in those months when I was pregnant, all around same time: we have in tandem he won’t be given security, a title and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born.”
Oprah was left stunned and replied: “What? There is a conversation…hold on. Hold up. Hold up. Stop right now.
“There’s a conversation with you?” Meghan said: “With Harry.”
Oprah went on: “About how dark your baby is going to be?”
Meghan replied: “Potentially, and what that would mean or look like.”
Oprah then gasped: “Whoa.”
Asked whether there were concerns that her child would be “too brown” and that would be a problem, Meghan said: “If that is the assumption you are making, that is a pretty safe one.”
Harry confirmed he had been involved in the conversation but said he would never share the details.
He said: “At the time it was awkward but I was a bit shocked.”
Oprah had introduced the interview – confirming that “no subject is off limits” and that Meghan had not been paid for the chat.
And the chatshow queen said: “How do they explain to you that your son, the great grandson of the Queen, wasn’t going to be a prince?
“You certainly must have had conversations with Harry about it and had your own suspicions as to why they didn’t want to make Archie a prince.”
Meghan replied: “That was when they were saying they didn’t want him to be a prince or a princess.”
Under rules brought in by George V in 1917, only the children and grandchildren of a sovereign have the automatic right to be a prince or princess, and use the HRH title.
Archie is the great-grandchild of the Queen, but will be a grandchild of the ruling sovereign when Charles becomes King, and thus would then be entitled to the titles.
Under George V’s declaration, of the Queen’s great-grandchildren only Prince George is actually entitled to be a prince because he is in the direct line of succession to the throne as the eldest son of Prince William, the eldest son of the Prince of Wales.
However, ahead of George’s birth, the Queen stepped in to issue letters patent, ensuring that Kate and William’s children would have the prince and princess titles.
They are the children of a future monarch, but Archie is not.
Archie could have been styled using one of Harry’s lesser titles, Earl of Dumbarton, as a courtesy, when he was born the couple announced that he would instead be known as Archie Mountbatten-Windsor – and it was widely reported this was to ensure he had a more normal upbringing.
However, Meghan said of the lack of title: “It was not our decision to make.”
